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External Hard Drive now showing as not initialized

neepdocker
Grafter
Posts: 29
Registered: ‎08-11-2007

External Hard Drive now showing as not initialized

Switched on my external back up drive to find it did not show up in 'my computer' explorer etc. It appears in computer management - disk management as Disk 4 with a little red 'no entrysign' unknown and not initialized also unallocated. Can I recover entry to this disk and can my important back ups be retrieved. If so How  ...........help
3 REPLIES 3
petlew
Pro
Posts: 7,416
Thanks: 110
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-08-2007

Re: External Hard Drive now showing as not initialized

Have you tried anything at all to rectify it?
If not try the simplest first...
Assuming it's a USB connection, unplug the device, reboot your PC then reconnect the device. There's no real reason why your files should be wiped, it's your PC not seeing the device, not the contents of the drive.
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.
neepdocker
Grafter
Posts: 29
Registered: ‎08-11-2007

Re: External Hard Drive now showing as not initialized

Tried all basics and also connected it up to my second computer with the same results. On checking out other forums found the suggestion to right click on the Drive  in device manager which allowed me to initialize the disk and removed the 'no entry' sign. I hope this has not been the wrong thing to do. I am still left with the disk unallocated and after a cold reboot still not showing the drive in my computer... so might or might not be a step in the right direction. Any ideas on how to access the data on the Drive.
samuria
Grafter
Posts: 1,581
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎13-04-2007

Re: External Hard Drive now showing as not initialized

You need to see if its the drive or the interface thats faulty.
You will have to open the case and plug the drive into you pc and see if its ok then. If it is then there is something wrong with the cable or interface.
If the pc cant see it then its the drive dont forget to set it to slave/master correctly when you put it in your pc